Russian Space and Russian State

The subject matter of the course is Russian space. The course deals with its structure, topology, history, modes of appropriation and governance. It problematizes the idea of space as a key to understanding politics and governance of Russia, as well as the national economy, society and culture.
The course begins with exploring the phenomenology of Russian space: its structure, topology and specific features, including notions of “enormity”. It then proceeds to explore Russian space in its relation to state power. It examines the ways in which geography shaped Russian history and politics. The enormous space has largely determined the format of Russian statehood; indeed, governance in Russia is largely about the relationship between space and the state. The space-state relationship is reified on various levels: economy, politics, and administration, security and social mobility, nationalism, and imperialism, culture and language, habits and ways. The course looks into each of these levels, discovering specific ways of interaction between the space and the state.
The course includes city workshops with the analysis of art and architectural objects (Red Square, Kitai Gorod, VDNKh, subway and the Tretyakov Gallery). Additionally, the course may include film showings and visits to exhibitions and museums.

Course leader

Sergei Medvedev
Professor: Faculty of Social Sciences / School of Political Science

Fee info

USD 400: Tuition fee
USD 50: Registration fee

Scholarships

If you are a student of our Partner University we are happy to offer you a 20% discount.